Draco Malfoy and the Golden Trio
by Amor Semper
Summary: What if Draco had run for his life when he failed to kill Albus Dumbledore and Ginny had been killed at her brother's wedding? The Deathly Hallows would be completely different, indeed.
1. A Note from the Author

A Note from the Author:

Hello Drarry Lovers Everywhere!

My name is, for all intents and purposes, Robert Richmond. I grew up with the Harry Potter saga, and it was with the release of the sixth book that I realized that there was more there than meets the eye. I firmly believe that, although cannon disagrees, Draco and Harry are meant to be together. I am starting this _Draco Malfoy and the Golden Trio_ as a reaction to the bad rap that Draco has gotten. I feel he is not a bad person, but a product of his environment. Of course, Harry, always the hero, will save him even from himself. I am very new to the whole fanfiction scene, and I love to hear feedback from my readers, so feel free to review!!! I have started and will continue to write and update by every Wednesday (unless fate sends me a curveballs, as she is known to do from time to time), hopefully by earlier than 5PM EST. Other than that, I would love to hear from you – and if there is anyone that has read the first chapter (sorry it was so short, I couldn't resist the cliffhanger, and I seemed to get off topic after that, so I am revising) and is interested in beta reading it for me, please message me. Thank you again for your interest and attention.

Sincerely

Robert Richmond


	2. A Guest in His Father's House

Draco Malfoy and the Golden Trio  
by Robert Richmond  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, just like to play with JKR's toys!  
Rating: Anywhere from R to M, read at your own risk (and yes it's boy on boys so get over it)

Chapter 1: A Guest in His Father's House

Draco sat in the vanity looking out at the moonlight glistening on the unkept lawn. His charms book laying haphazardly across his lap, where he abandoned ithours ago. For weeks, the blond had sat there pondering his life and how he had come to be where he was; a fugitive, living off scraps in the half-mangledhouse of his sworn enemy.

When Severus had first brought him here, he knew that if he went back, the Dark Lord would have tortured him to death either before or after doing the sameto his parents, all depending on who he was more furious with. He worried for hours about his family, but he couldn't say he wasn't happy to be shot of themadman, and Draco knew now that that is what he was. Hellbent on killing Saint Potter.

Even in his own mind, the Slytherin knew he hated the talentless, lucky, beloved ragamuffin more than he ever had at school. It was his fault, it was, that he, Draco Malfoy, was now living like a beggar, in rags and an uncleaned body. Yes he could use certain cleaning charms, but he could feel the essence of  
unclean all over his body. He swore one day that he would exact his revenge on Harry Potter.

His vengeful thinking was interrupted as he felt the wards activate outside the house. As was per usual, he crawled into his small nest of a bed, made frombeddings on the floor of what used to be the dining room, and cast a Disillusionment Charm to hide everything from sight. He kept his wand at the ready ashe looked out over the top of the bedding, listening as the intruder walked through the knee-high grass. The latch on the door clicked, and he heard thesteady footfalls of boots and the sweeping of a long cloak.

"Severus, must you always sound so creepy when you walk? Isn't the long cloak a bitch much? It's not nearly cold enough this time of year for that."

"Well, Draco, if that is how you feel, shall I go home and change? Although I could quite possibly forget all this food I have brought with me while I am away," the slow drawl came from the living room and sound of his boots began to recede.

"Sev, Wait!" Draco cried, dispelling the charm and running to meet his godfather and sole protector. "I was merely making conversation. It is terribly boring here all alone. I have read through the entire course load for next year, and am now re-reading everything, just for something to do."

The potions master looked down into his charge's face with the ghost of a smirk, then wheeled around into the dining room and unloaded the groceries he was carrying. Draco set about preparing a small meal, not making a plate for Severus as he always refused. It was not everyday that the closest thing the young boy had to a friend came to restock his coffers and socialize with him.

"How are Mother and Father?" Draco asked, the apple he was eating doing nothing to diminish the intensity of the inquiry.

"They are still requisitioned to the Manor, but are no longer being held in the dungeons. As you know when I brought you here, they were severly punished for your escape. The Dark Lord feels they are sufficiently punished, but your life will end should he find you. I hinted to your mother that you were safe and I am certain your parents both know. It seems that is the one piece of news that has kept them sane. Most people crack after so long under the Cruciatus."

Draco shivered under the mention of the curse, and anger sparked up at the torture of his parents. He may be a Slytherin, but an affront to the Malfoy pride was unforgivable. He would make it right. One day.

In a matter of three seconds, so much happened, that the blond later had to piece it together from memory. First was that Severus gasped and fell forward clutching his knees for support, then Draco felt the breath knocked out of his chest and collapsed on his stomach, hardly able to get air into his lungs. From the floor he turned his head and could see his godfather standing up at looking terrified.

"Severus, what the bloody hell was that?" Draco choked out as he forced his suddenly leaden limbs to move.

"I'm not sure, but I think that was some massive shockwave of magic, I could feel it rip through my body, but not in a damaging way, like my own magic was sucked out then shot back at me. I've never experienced -" both men were almost thrown to the floor a second time as the summons came through the scars on their arms.

"The Dark Lord has felt it, too. Who was behind this?" Severus almost was speaking to himself until the scars gave another twinge for the followers to flock to their master. "I must go, stay out of sight, and stay out of trouble. I will come to you again as soon as I know what is going on." Without so much as waiting for Draco to respond, his one link to life outside the Potter Estate left in a swirl of black robes, Draco still clutching his forearm.

Draco couldn't sleep that night, the whole time wondering what that massive shockwave of power that had forced him to the ground was. Even Severus had seemed frightened of it. It's not every day that wizards get thrown around without a sufficient reason why. Not since Merlin had something so powerful occurred, and he would know - his family all but worshiped Merlin when they were not forced to bow to the Dark Lord.

As the next day was turning into dusk, the wards activated once again, but this time Draco hardly had time to hide as he heard running feet coming up the path and the front door flew open. Draco was frightened to the point, although still under the Disillusionment Charm, he pulled the bedding up as if to hide himself. His heart was racing as he heard the footsteps now stumbling through the house to the dining room, then collapsed right in front of Draco.

It wasn't until his nearly unconscious protector looked at him, showing Draco the blood running down his head that Draco flew out from his hiding place and ran to his aid. Without a word, Severus latched on to his arm like a vice and turned on the spot, pulling Draco into the tight nothingness of Apparation.


	3. Magical Anomaly

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, just like to play with JKR's toys!  
**Rating:** Anywhere from R to M, read at your own risk (and yes it's boy on boy so get over it)

**A/N: Hey guys, I wanted to thank all of you who read the first chapter. This is my first fic, and it was really heartwarming to see so many people interested and getting updates. A special thanks to CryingxInside for giving me my first comment! ::high five:: Thanks Again! –RR**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter 2: A Magical Anomaly **

Draco finally hit the ground again, but before he could get in a word, his protector spun again. When they landed at their new destination, Severus ran a few feet and turned a third time. He continued this routine for nearly ten turns until Draco finally fell face first into the ground, vomiting.

"Come, Draco. Do not dawdle," the potions master said to his pupil as he attempted to lift him to his feet and out of his own bile.

"Severus, who are we running from?" Draco whined, yanking his arm back to keep from falling completely into his own sick.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy if you hold any value in your own life, you will stand up and get inside before you ruin us both. I will explain there."

Draco's head snapped up at the use of his full name – Severus Snape was terrified of something…and only one thing truly terrified him: the Dark Lord. Without another word, the blond pulled himself up and dusted off his knees and walked as his godfather directed. They were walking down a very run down street lined with dark brick houses and nearly opaque windows.

"What a dung heap," Draco muttered to himself.

"Silence!" the nearly hysterical man hissed as he shook the boy and walked with even greater urgency.

When the pair finally approached a single house, the potions master walked up and unlocked the door from a set of keys he pulled from his robes. Draco was pushed in and his godfather snapped the door shut behind them both.

"Come Draco," he said, pushing passed the blond that was still not keeping up on what exactly was happening to him. Severus led him into the back of the house and opened the door to the cellar, motioning his godson to precede him. Draco was slightly wary until with a flick of the wand, light was brought into the cellar.

As he looked around, Draco began to see it for what it was, this was Snape's home potion lab. Severus seemed to swoop down onto the floor and pull a medicine bag out of a cupboard up above, then continued to stuff it with nearly every potion he could grab, nearly emptying the whole cabinet. Then he moved on to the next one and continued the process. When Draco thought the bag was fit to burst with its contents, Severus walked over to the shelf and started stuffing books into the bottom. As he moved onto the second bookcase, Draco had finally met his breaking point.

"Severus, what is going on?"

"Something has happened, and you have to go."

"What happened?"

"Draco, we do not have time-"

"Severus, if I am going to be running for my life, I think I should at least know what it is I am running from." Draco knew that although there were a lot of potions in that bag, there were far more at Hogwarts, should his professor ever be allowed to set foot back on the grounds. The great tomes that had followed the potions were also most likely available at the school, not that they were even needed. The potions master had more likely than not memorized them completely. These were for Draco, and it would be a long time before he would see his godfather again. This medicine satchel was a parting gift.

"What do you know of Merlin, Draco?" The look in his godfather's eye showed that this was not a mere non sequitur.

"He was the greatest wizard of his time, well, all time for that matter. No one has yet been known to have surpassed him in ability. He could project images to masses of people, foretell the outcomes of battles, before the kingdoms in question even existed, he could control the elements themselves-"

"Ten points to Slytherin," he muttered with the faintest ghost of a smirk. "An anomaly has occurred," he continued, easily slipping into his lecturing professor mode. "A momentous amount of magic was dispelled yesterday. I have speculations as to who caused it, but not how or why. What we felt was primarily our own magic being drawn upon by the caster, and then returned to us at the completion of the spell. Never since Merlin has anything of this caliber been documented, nothing close. What I do know is that this … event … has made the Dark Lord nervous. He had plans all along to kill Bathilda Bagshot and leave a trap for Potter, but not until yesterday did he see it as urgent. If there is another wizard running about with more power than himself, he has a right to be nervous."

"What does that have to do with me?" Draco asked, still thoroughly confused.

"Bathilda lived up the street from the Potters. I did not want to run the risk of you being seen should the Dark Lord feel…nostalgic."

Draco continued to ponder that as the potions master brought out a second satchel and began to fill it with food, canteens, blankets, a shrunken tent and all the accoutrements of camping. Draco hated camping.

"What happened that it frightened the Dark Lord? I thought he was a bloodthirsty villain that did nothing but kill to get at Saint Potter. Surely he is-"

"The Dark Lord is neither stupid, nor simple, Draco. He is fully aware of the ramifications of this event, and he sees this as the calling card of a wizard rallying against him. He seems to believe that it was a follower of Dumbledore that has taken up his mantle."

"But you believe something else?" Draco supplied to the vague allusion.

"As loathsome as it is to my psyche and my pride, yes I believe I know who did it. I will not say anything as of yet, but if I find out who it was, I will tell you next time I see you," Severus said as he snapped the last satchel closed. "We must go. Take my hand," he said as he held out his hand.

"Can we take it a bit slower? I'd like to keep what's left of my lunch in my stomach."

His Godfather gave him the hint of a smirk as the blond took his hand. Draco clamped his mouth shut and closed his eyes as he felt the tug behind his navel that told him they were Apparating. True to the word that he hadn't quite given, the potions master did take it slower and began to walk a few steps then turned again. They only Apparated three times when Snape let go of Draco's hand.

"Sev, where are we?" Draco asked, opening his eyes.

"This is the Forest of Dean, Draco. You will need to camp here for the night, then move on to another place in the morning. Always Apparate, never stay in a village, never stay anywhere near people, never been seen. The Dark Lord will have scouts out looking for you, and others…All things considered, you should be on better terms than living in the Potter house, but you must not be seen."

"Yes, Severus, I understand." Even Draco could hear the waver in his voice as he took a step into the forest. He only walked a little ways before he found a clearing big enough and from the sound of robes through the underbrush, Severus had followed him.

Draco waved his wand and a small tent sprang up and Draco ducked inside, leaving Severus outside the tent. The tent wasn't lavish, by any stretch of the imagination, but it had two bedrooms and a kitchen, fully equipped with dining table and four wooden chairs. Transfiguration was never a huge talent of Draco's, but he was passable. He walked to the dining table and set down the satchels and walked back out. Severus was walking around the clearing muttering words to himself.

"_Cave Inimicum, Protego Totalum, Protego Muggletum."_

With a sigh, Severus turned back to Draco, "You must always protect yourself, I won't be here to ward your tent every time," the potions master scolded.

Draco just nodded, finally realizing that he was on his own. Severus would not be there to help him anymore.

Severus seeing his godson so scared made him uncomfortable. "Well, it doesn't do to dawdle," he said as he began to walk away.

"Severus," Draco spoke up just as Severus was about to step outside the wards, "can you at least tell me what has caused this? What is the magical anomaly you speak of?"

"A tree, a tree of gold, carved with all the names of those who have already fallen in this war."

Draco chuckled, "That's it? I can turn a tree to gold, that is hardly-"

"Do not mistake, Draco, this tree was not under a Glamour Charm to make it appear as gold, nor was the bark temporarily turned to metal. The entire tree was as if cast from ore, complete with gold leaves, and fruit, all of solid gold. As I said before, not even Merlin was so astute in alchemy to change an entire tree to gold. Take care of yourself, Draco, and I pray to Merlin that we will see each other again, when this is all over." With that, the man swept out of the clearing like a bat, and with a small pop was gone.

Draco stared at the spot, as if not believing that he was already a casualty of this war.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it's a little late, I got hung up at work. Comment and let me know what you think. The story isn't finished, but I already know where I want to go with it. Next week is going to be Draco coping on his own, for the most part. Thanks Again!!!! -RR


End file.
